Chapter Text
Shane sat down on the steps from the door down to the sunken area of the garage. He needed to figure out his next move. He checked the time and saw it was late enough they could excuse themselves and leave if he wanted to go with the plan of talking in the car.
He looked around the massive garage. Leaning next to shelves with bins of holiday decorations, there were stacks of child sized hockey gear and bikes with training wheels. Shane smiled, thinking about having this one day. It wasn’t the first time his mind had wandered to thoughts of a future child with Ilya. She’d love Anya, maybe love to draw like Hayden’s kids. Maybe she’d be close friends with some of Hayden’s kids, like they were cousins. He smiled thinking about how everything could slot together perfectly. He remembered Ilya in the pool at the All-Star Game, how he’d glowed racing with the children at the pool. He had sat poolside and watched, but surely he’d be in the water with his own kid. The thought of having that much skin exposed brought him back to reality. How would their future child feel about the tattoo? Or her friends’ parents, already weary of his quality as a parent for being one of two dads?
What if this ruined his relationship. What if this ruined a sponsorship? Did his mom actually like it or was she just trying to soften the blow? Would there be blowout?
The door to the inside of the house opened behind him. He suspected it was Ilya, but was still surprised when he saw his partner sit down next to him.
There was a cape (bedsheet?) tied around his neck, and a lot of sequins involved in the outfit. He had a child-sized mask with equally small elastic worn on his left wrist as a bracelet. Shane glanced from it to the wedding ring, then up to his husband’s face.
One of the kids had drawn on the outline of an eye mask with a purple marker. It was half filled in with some kind of glitter eyeshadow and looked objectively hilarious.
Shane couldn’t help but smile. “Hi.”
“Hello.”
“Are you a superhero?”
“No. Am supervillain."
Shane nodded, still grinning. “What’s your superpower?”
Ilya cocked his head to the side and placed a hand on Shane’s thigh. “There are many. Super strength, super good looking, and so on. Right now I will use the power to make my secret lover turned husband tell me what is wrong.”
The smile fell. He wished Ilya wasn’t touching him.
Shane looked away. He stalled. “That is a very specific superpower.”
“I did not make it. Twins did.”
He turned back around. “What? No they didn’t!”
“Yes, they did. Said I have the power to be super strong, other ones, and to make Uncle Shane stop being boring and come play.”
How had the kids picked up on his discomfort? He thought he was acting normal. Not 100% normal, but when did he ever?
“Uh huh. That’s not exactly the same thing.”
“Okay. Pike told me to find you. Better?”
It was not.
What had Hayden even said? Shane did not expect him to get Ilya, they didn’t talk more than they absolutely had to.
Maybe Hayden felt like he absolutely had to.
Shane realized he was still holding the can and came up with an idea in a flash of brilliance. He turned his torso towards Ilya, and held out the drink with a rigid arm.
Ilya's eyes flicked down to look, but he didn’t take the hint. After Shane kept his arm out in wait for long enough for it to be unmistakably part of a long and awkward plot, Ilya hesitantly reached for the Canada Dry and brought it to his lips.
“Is okay for me to drink this? Pike only has 12-pack for you in fridge.”
“Shut up.” He took the can back so he’d have something to fidget with. “You don't like ginger ale, so that’s not why I gave you the can.”
“Uh huh. Shane, I do not have read minds as a supervillain power. What is the problem?”
“I’m not mad at you. It’s just awkward. I didn’t want to talk about this now.”
“Too bad. I have superpower.”
Ilya leaned in for a reassuring kiss. He tasted like flaming hot cheetos and Shane’s favorite drink.
When the kiss broke, Shane stayed close to Ilya’s face with his eyes closed. He didn’t want to be distracted by the glitter. He could be brave, he could use words.
“I want to get the tattoo removed.”
Ilya pulled back. “Tattoo from last week?”
“Yes.”
“That I drew with love.”
“Yes.”
“That you bled for.”
“Oh my god, yes, I don’t think I’m supposed to have tattoos.”
This conversation was not going good. It was embarrassing, Ilya was joking around as usual while Shane freaked further out.
Ilya took his hand off of Shane’s thigh and brought it up to the side of his face in a gentle touch. “Shane.”
“Yes?”
“Is okay. I like tattoos because it makes me feel good. They are nice to me. If it doesn’t make you feel good? Is your body.”
Ilya lifted his arms around Shane for a hug. Shane leaned in and breathed him in, smeared makeup and all. He stayed there, where he felt safe, for a long time.
It was absolutely going to look like they’d been making out, he thought, right before Ilya ran a hand through his hair.
Shane put down the half-full can and reached up to push Ilya’s hand away.
Ilya leaned back to give him space, but Shane quickly closed the gap. He put his head on Ilya’s shoulder and threaded their fingers together.
“Thank you. Sorry – I didn’t want my hair to get messed up. I don’t want anyone to think we were getting up to anything in the garage.”
“Pike does not know we have sex now?”
“Not at his kid’s birthday party! No!”
“Okay.” Ilya planted a chaste kiss on his forehead. “You are sure about tattoo?”
Shane nodded. “I wanted to like it. I thought it would be nice to have something from you. It just feels wrong on my body.”
“What if I make cover up. Giant 81 on back to match me.”
Shane recoiled and saw Ilya holding back a laugh. Okay, he was okay. They were both going to be okay about this.
“No. But, uh, thanks for not being too hurt. Or mad.”
“You are not mad?”
“Not at you. I should have listened to my gut and said no. I could have tried one of those temporary kits, or asked you to do that ink that goes away in a year. Something less permanent to start.”
“That shit is bullshit scam. Does not actually fade.”
“Oh, yikes.”
“There is a lot worse than a tattoo you do not like. Is not the end of the world.”
“Not for you.”
Ilya nodded, gathering his next words. “The bear tattoo is a cover up.”
“What, really?” He was genuinely shocked. “I thought you just wanted that there.”
“Yes and no.”
“What was the first tattoo of?”
“Is secret.”
“And you got it covered up because?”
“Best way to not have old tattoo. Laser is long, is expensive, not as… good science back then. Is better now and you are patient.”
Shane nodded. This was actually maybe going well now. “That makes sense.”
Ilya continued. “Two things. One, is okay if you do not want tattoo. But no more free tattoo.”
“I don’t think that will be a problem.”
“Good. Two. I can post on instagram?”
His immediate reaction was a big NO. But it shouldn’t be such a big deal. Only his mom and Hayen knew it was his, anyone else who saw it on Ilya’s anonymous tattoo account wouldn’t think twice about it. It did still feel like a lot.
“Maybe – not right now. Can I think on it?”
“Yes, my love. We should go back to party if you do not want Pike to worry. That okay?”
“Yeah.”
Shane stood up and felt like a weight had been lifted off his body. He realized how stiff he’d gotten and rolled his shoulders. The area with the tattoo was still itchy, but not nearly as bad as it was the days before. He held out a hand to help Ilya up, and they stepped back into the house together.